Plea for government to help ease growing landlord costs
9:37 AM, 1st April 2026, 3 weeks ago
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The government is being urged to intervene and help landlords as buy to let borrowing costs rise, adding fresh pressure to rents and landlord finances.
The National Residential Landlords Association points to an analysis from Moneyfactscompare.co.uk which found that landlords are paying an average £1,100 more a year than in January.
That’s down to market shifts linked to conflict in the Middle East feeding through into costs.
At the same time, landlords are contending with a series of further financial demands.
Those include a planned increase in income tax on rent from next year is expected to feed directly into higher rents, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Landlords need help
The NRLA’s chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “Whilst the government cannot be held responsible for the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, it should take action where its own policies will lead to higher rents.
“Growing taxes, uncertain costs associated with the Renters’ Rights Act and the ongoing housing benefit freeze will create the perfect storm for tenants.
“With so many people reliant on the sector for a place to call home, ministers need to recognise the real-world consequences of their decisions.”
He added: “It is simply stereotyped nonsense that every landlord can somehow absorb ever-increasing costs indefinitely.
“They can’t, and as a result, it is tenants who will suffer most as rents continue to creep up.
“The government needs to take action to support renters and ensure a healthy, vibrant market.”
Other costs to absorb
The NRLA also says that there is also uncertainty around the cost of joining the proposed Private Rented Sector Ombudsman and database under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Also, landlords may need to spend up to £10,000 per property to meet new energy efficiency requirements.
The organisation says most landlords cannot absorb these increases without raising rents.
It points to HM Revenue and Customs data shows average declared rent income for unincorporated landlords stands at £19,400 a year.
That figure sits below earnings from a full-time minimum wage role, limiting scope to offset higher costs.
Solutions for government
There’s also an issue for tenants on lower incomes who are facing rising rents while housing benefit rates remain frozen.
Calls for rent controls have been made, yet the NRLA said such measures would restrict supply.
Zoopla reports almost five tenants competing for each available home to rent.
The association is calling for changes to reduce cost pressures, including scrapping the planned tax rise and keeping new regulatory costs as low as possible.
It also wants reform of the tax system to support energy efficiency improvements and for the unfreezing of housing benefit rates.
Tags:
Buy to let mortgages, energy efficiency costs, Housing Benefit Freeze, landlord costs, NRLA, PRS Ombudsman, Renters’ Rights Act, Rising Rents
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Member Since January 2017 - Comments: 112
10:25 AM, 1st April 2026, About 3 weeks ago
When will Beadle accept that a governemt doesn’t listen to what an organistation who supposedly represent landlords advise?
The best action would be come out an advise that being a landlord is now a high risk investment and due to the continued onslaught of tax increases and regulation, is now only for the wealthy. In many cases landlords would be better to sell and invest their equity elsewhere for superior returns.
It perhaps would gain more headlines (landlord organisation advise landlords to sell!) prompt a response from those running the country as a result.
Of course the NRLA are happy to continue as they are as it pays them well. Similar to Shelter who house no one, but can earn well by keeping the gravy train running.
Member Since June 2015 - Comments: 333
10:33 AM, 1st April 2026, About 3 weeks ago
A lot of us are midway through even more expensive 5 year fixes.
Abolish Section 24 and do all tenants a favour.
Even though Section 24 only affects about 20% of landlords we own around 50% of rental properties. Unaffected landlords then pitch their rents at market level (which is determined by affected landlords and corporate landlords, who often pay a higher rate anyway).
Member Since January 2025 - Comments: 8
6:17 PM, 1st April 2026, About 3 weeks ago
A plea to this Government for help for landlords??? Yeah right- has no one clocked it’s April 1st?
Member Since November 2019 - Comments: 154
9:14 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Landlords have Individually shown no resistance and our representation as been poor which is why we are being screwed by the Government and Councils.
We cannot blame Ben or the NRLA its down to us and to some extent our Tenants . (The Farmers reacted differently and were more successful )
In 1988 Thatcher Government introduced the AST to de regulate and attract private citizens to risk there hard earned by investing in Property the aim was to House millions of people.
The Current aim of recent Governments is not to House People but to cause mass homelessness by regulating and Taxing Private Landlords Till they sell up.
This will give them a short term Gain.
But decreasing the Rental Housing Stock will not only stop the yearly Tax revenue they receive from us, and the services and trades we use . It will push up rents and make Millions Homeless.
Hence Long Term Pain.
Member Since May 2024 - Comments: 18
4:46 PM, 2nd April 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Northernpleb you are right! The government is not interested in housing people and wants to push landlords to sell up and pocket the CGT windfall now. As with all governments they don’t care if they cause problems in the future. The faith in the white knight of ‘build to rent’ is misplaced. They might house some high inner city earners but will do nothing for the majority of tenants currently in the private rental sector. I suspect once they have to deal with some bad tenants, rent arrears and depreciation through a stalled housing market they will be out of pocket and noone will invest in them. In fact given the current mess caused by the orange numpty you would rather get 5% return by investing rather than do the work of renting.